Remote control apparatus



May4,1937. P. P. STOKER' v 2,079,534

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l INVENTOR 57 g b BY Paul F.Joep. A 1g U21/JM@ .;:L v H15 ATTORNEY P. P.. sToKL-:R l 2,079,534

REMTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Janf?, 19:55 2 sheets-sheet 2 ngi? BY j @wf/WM Hfs ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1937 'I UNITED STATES vPATENT oFFlcE REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Paul P. Stoker, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 7, 1933, Serial No. 650,667

3 Claims. (Cl. 246-3) My invention relates to remote control apswitch F from tracks Y and Z, respectively, to paratus, and has for an object the provision f stretch X, and signal S1 governs traffic movements novel and improved apparatus for controlling in the opposite or facing direction over switch F railway traflic governing devices such as switches from stretch X to track Y. As here shown, each 5 and signals from a distant point. of the signals S is of the color light type, although More specically, my invention relates to manit is to be understood that my invention is not ually controlled apparatus, such for example as limited to this particular type of signals. Signals code responsive mechanism operated by coded S are shown having a red or stop lamp R and current transmitted from a train dispatchers agree'n or proceed lamp G.

l0 oflice, for locking or unlocking a track switch of A lock bar d is rigidly secured to switch F for 10 the well known spring type. My invention also engagement by a dog a, by means of which relates to means for permitting traliic movements switch F may be locked in its normal position in a given direction over the switch only if the only. Dog ais actuated by a motor Q which may switch is locked, and to means for permitting be of any suitable type but which, as here shown,

l5 traffic movements in an opposite direction over is an electric motor having an armature i9 and l5 the switch only if the switch is unlocked. a eld winding 52.

The apparatus of my invention is an improve- In conjunction with dog a, motor Q actuates ment. over that disclosed in the copending applia contact 5| which is closed in a reverse operatcation Serial No. 125,659, iled July 29, 1926, by ing circuit for motor Q at all times except when lHerbert A. Wallace, for Railway traiiic controlling dog a reaches its final position for unlocking bar 20 apparatus. d, and which is closed in a normal operating cir- I will describe one form of apparatus embodycuit for motor Q at all times except when dog ing my invention, and will then point out the a reaches its nal position in engagement with novel features thereof in claims. bar d. Dog a actuates a contact 33 which is closed g5 The accompanying drawings, Figs. la and 1b, only when dog a is in position for locking bar d 25 when placed side by side with Fig. la on the left, and also actuates a contact 31 which is closed constitute -a diagrammatic view showing one form only when dog a is out of engagement with bar d. of apparatus embodying my invention. Operation of motor Q is controlled by its con- Referring to the drawings, the reference chartact 5l, and by a polarized switch relay W. Relay 3o acter X designates a stretch of single track W, when energized in what I shall c-all the normal 30 railway which is connected with tracks Y and Z direction, causes motor Q to move dog a into posiby means of a switch F. tion for locking bar d. Relay W, when energized Switch F may be biased to the normal position, in the opposite or reverse direction, causes motor in which it is shown, by some suitable means Q to move dos a out 0f engagement with bar d.

35 which may, for example, be of the well known Switch F actuates a circuit controller, com- Spring typg switch F may be manually movable monly known as a point detector, having a conto its reverse position by suitable means not tact 20 which is closed only if the switch points shown in the drawings, and may also be movable 'are in their proper condition while switch F to its reverse position by a train going over the is in its normal position.

Llo switch in the trailing direction, that is, from A hand crank N is provided adjacent switch 40 track Z to stretch X. F for emergency use by a trainman to manually Rails l and Ia of stretch X and of track Y move dog a out Of engagement With bar d, When are divided by means of insulated joints 3 into such action becomes necessary. For this use, the sections A-B, B-C and C-D. A track circuit trainman will place crank N in the position in is provided for each of these sections, and nwhich it is shown in dash lines in the drawings, i cludes a track battery 4 connected across the rails thereby displacing a contact I9 to its open posiadjacent one end of the section, and a track tion r. He will then operate crank Nto disengage relay, designated by the reference character T dog a from bar d. Contact I9 is included in the with a distinguishing exponent, connected across pickup and stick circuits for two code-controlled the rails adjacent the other end of the section. stick relays U1 and U3, and will therefore open Signals, each of which is designated by the any of these circuits which may be closed. The reference character S'with a distinguishing exenergizing circuits for relay W include contacts ponent, govern traffic movements in both direcof relays Ul and U3, and hence relay W will also tions over switch F. Signals S2 and S3 govern be deenergized as long as contact I9 is open.

traicmovements yin-the trailingidirection over RelaysU1 and U3 also control signals S, and 5' therefore each of the signals will indicate "stop as long as contact I9 is open.

Relay W is controlled by switch Contact v2|), by track relay T2, and. by stick locking relays each of which is designated by the reference character M with a distinguishing exponent, as well as by relays U1 and U3. Relays U1 and U3 determine the direction of energization of relay Relay M1 becomes deenergized when signal S1 is controlled by a relay H1 to indicate proceed. If signal S1 is again controlled by relay H1 to indicate stop before a train passes signal S1, a slow pick-up relay E will become energized and will cause relay M1 to again become energized upon the lapse of a measured period of time after such control of signal S1 to indicate stop.` Relay M2 is similarly controlled by relays H2 and H3 in connection with signals S2 and S3, respectively. l

The clearing of each of the signals S is controlled by the associated relay H which has a reference character corresponding to that of the signal. Energization of each relay H is caused by energization of one or the other of the relays U1, U2 and U3. Such energization of relays H can occur only if dog a is in the position oorresponding with the energization of relay W controlled by relays U1 and U3.

Energization of relays U1, U2 and U3 is controlled by manually controlled receiving mechanism designated by the reference character L, which is indicated in Fig. la, as receiving Various control codes, and which is selectively responsive to these codes. As also indicated in Fig. 1a, transmitting apparatus designated by the reference character K and located at a remote point such, for example, as a train dispatchers office, transmits current at various control codes over line wires 58 and 59 for controlling receiver L. Apparatus K is controlled by a lever V and by a push button contact P, both of which are manually operable by the train dispatcher. l

Receiver L includes normally open contacts I I, I6 and 35 and normally closed contacts I2 and 4G which are selectively responsive to the control codes at which current is supplied by transmitter K to receiver L. Receiver L also includes indication control devices I1, I2 and J for controlling the transmission of indication codes to the indication receiving portion of transmitter K.

Lever V has a normal position n, a left reverse position f, and a right reverse position t. A contact 56 operated by lever V is closed only when lever V occupies its t position, and a contact 51 operated by lever V is closed only when lever V occupies its f position. Push button contact P may be of the type which is spring biased to the open position.

The closing of contact 56 by operation of lever V to its t position causes transmitter K to supply current to receiver L at such a code as to open contacts I2 and 40 for a brief period and then to close contact II. The closing of contact 51 byoperation of lever V to its f position causes transmitter K to supply receiver L with current of such a code as to open contacts I2 and 40 for a brief period of time and then to close contact I6. If push button contact P is closed While contact 51 of lever V is closed, transmitter K will supply receiver L with current at such a code as to close contact 39.

Having described in general the arrangement and location of the various parts of the apparatus embodying my invention, will now describe in detail the operation of the apparatus.

As shown in the drawigs, all parts are in their normal condition, that is, lever V is in its n position; each of the track sections shown in the drawings is unoccupied; switch F is in its normal position; each of the code contacts II, I3 and 39 of code receiver L is open and contacts I2 and 4l) are closed; each of the relays E, H, U, and W and indication devices I is deenergized; indication device J and relays M are energized; the red or stop lamp R of each of the signals S is lighted by a circuit which is supplied with current from. terminal bl of a source not shown in the drawings, through the back point of a contact 5 of the associated relay H, and the lamp R to terminal o of the same source of current; and dog ais in the position for locking bar d.

The circuit by which relay M1 is energized is a stick circuit passing from terminal b, through contact 6 of relay H1, wire 44a, front point of contact I of relay M1, and the winding of relay M1 to terminal o. The circuit by which relay M2 is energized is a similar stick circuit passing from terminal b, through contact 6 of relay H2, contact 6 of relay H3, front point of contact 'I of relay M2, and the winding of relay M2 to terminal o. The circuit by which indication device J is energized passes from terminal b, through the back point of contact 53 of relay H3, back point of contact 54 of relay H2, back point of contact 55 of relay H1, and the winding of device J to terminal o.

I willassume that the dispatcher desires to permit an eastbound train, that is, a train moving from left to right as shown in the drawings, to proceed over switch F in the normal position. He will therefore move lever V to its t position. Contact 56 of lever V will therefore become closed, causing transmitter K to supply current to receiver L of the code which will cause contact II of receiver L to become closed. Relay U1 will then be energized by its pickup circuit passing from terminal b, through contact II, winding of relay U1, and contact I9 associated with crank N to terminal o. Relay U1, upon becoming energized, will complete its own stick circuit passing from terminal b, through contact I2 of receiver L, Contact I3 of relay T2, contact I4 of relay U3, contact I5 of relay U1, winding of relay U1, and contact I9 associated with crank N to terminal or.

Relay U1, upon becoming energized, will also' complete a normal energizing circuit for relay W, passing from terminal h, through contact I 20 of switch F, contact 2| of relay T2, wire 22a, front point of contact 23 of relay U1, contact 24 of relay M1, contact 25 of relay M2, Winding of relay W, and the back point of contact 26 of relay U3 to terminal o. Since dog a is already in position for locking bar d and motor Q is in the corresponding position, the circuit for operating motor Q to this position will be open at its contact 5I although contacts 4l, 48 and 5B of relay W in this circuit will be closed.

With relayU1 energized and with dog a. in the position for locking bar d, relay H1 Will become energized by its circuit passing from terminal b, through contact 2l) of switch F, contact 2l of relay T2, wire 2212, contact 2l of relay E, wire F 28a, contact 29 of relay U1 contact 3i) of relay H2, contact 3| of relay H3, contact 32 of relay T3 contact 33 of dog a, and the winding of relay H1 to terminal o. i Y

Relay H1, upon becomingenergized, will open,

at its Contact 6, the stick circuit previously traced for relay M1 which will therefore become deenergized and open, at its contact 24, the circuit previously traced for relay W. Relay H1, upon becoming energized, will open, at the back point of its contact 5, the circuit for lighting lamp R of signal S1, and will then complete, at the front point of its contact 5, the circuit for lighting lamp G of signal S1. Relay H1, upon becoming energized, will also open, at the back point of its contact 55, the circuit previously traced for device J, and will then complete a circuit for energizing indication device I1, passing from terminal b, through the back point of contact 53 of relay H3, back point of contact 54 of relay H2, front point of Contact 55 of relay H1, and the winding of indication device I1 to terminal ol.

If now an eastbound train enters section A--B, relay T1 will become deenergized. This will, however, cause no change in the condition of any other part of the apparatus, since contacts 8 and 35 of relay T1 are included in circuits which are already open at other points.

When the train enters section B-C, relay will become deenergized, and will open, at its contact 2i, the circuit previously traced for relay H1 and also the normal energizing circuit traced for relay W. The circuit for relay W is, however, already open at contact 24 of relay M1. Relay H1, upon becoming deenergized, will open, at the front point of its contact 5, the circuit for green lamp G of signal S1, and will then again complete, at the back point of its contact 5, the circuit for lamp R of signal S1. Relay H1 will also open, at the front point of its contact 55, the circuit traced for indication device I1, and will again complete, at the back point of its contact 55, the circuit for indication device J. Relay T2, upon becoming deenergized, will also open, at its contact I3, the stick circuit previously traced for relay U1, thereby restoring relay U1 to its normally deenergized condition.

When the train enters section C-D, relay T3 will become deenergized and will therefore complete a pickup circuit for relay M1, passing from terminal b, through contact 6 of relay H1, wire 4413, contact 8 of relay T3, contact 9a of relay T2, and the Winding of relay M1 to terminal ol. Relay M1, upon becoming energized, will complete, at the front point of its contact 1, thestick circuit previously traced ior this relay.

I will now assume that,`after all parts of the apparatus have been returned to their normal condition, the dispatcher desires to permit a westbound train to move from track Z over switch F to stretch X. He will therefore move lever V to its f position, causing contact 51 of lever V to become closed. Contact 51, upon becoming closed, will cause transmitter K to supply receiver L with current of a code which will open contacts I2 and d5 of receiver L for a brief period and which will then close contact I8 of receiver L.

Contact I 5, upon becoming closed, will complete a pickup circuit for relay U3, passing from terminal b, through contact I6, winding of relay U3, and contact I 9 associated with crank N to terminal o. Relay U3, upon becoming energized, will complete its own stick circuit, passing from terminal b, through contact I2 of receiver L, contact I3 of relay T2, contact I1 of relay U1, contact I8 of relay U3, winding of relay U3, and contact I9 of crank N to terminal o. Relay U3, upon becoming energized, will complete a reverse energizing circuit for relay W, passing fromterminal J, through the front point of contact 26 of relay U3, winding of relay W, contact 25 of relay M2, contact 24 of relay M1, and the back point of contact 23` of relay U1 to terminal o.

Relay W, upon thus becoming energized by current of reverse polarity, will complete a reverse operating circuit for motor Q, passing from terminal b, through contact 41 of relay W, contact48 of relay W in the right-hand position, armature 49 of motor Q, contact 50 of relay W in the right-hand position, contact 5I of motor Q, and eld winding 52 of motor Q to terminal o. Motor Q Will then move dog a out of engagement with bar d. Dog a will therefore open its contact 33, and will, at the end of its unlocking stroke, close its contact 31. Motor Q, at the end of this operation, will open its contact 5| in the reverse operating circuit previously traced, but

contact 5| will now be closed in the normal operating circuit for the motor.

With relay U3 energized, and with dog a out of engagement with bar d, a circuit will be completed for energizing relay H3, passing from terminal b, through contact 20 of switch F, contact 2| of relay T2, wire 2211, contact 21 of relay E, wire 2811, contact 34 of relay U3, contact 35 of relay H1, contact 3B of relay T1, contact 31 of dog a, contact 38 of relay U2, and the winding of relay H3 to terminal o.

Relay H3, upon becoming energized, will open, at its contact 6, the stick circuit previously traced for relay M2, thereby causing relay M2 to become deenergized. Relay M2 then opens its contact 25, causing relay W to be deenergized. Relay H3, upon becoming energized, will also open, at the back point of its contact 5, the circuit for red lamp R of signal S3, and will complete, at the front point of its contact 5, a circuit for lighting green lamp G of signal S3. Relay H3, upon becoming energized, also opens, at the back point of its contact 53, the circuit traced for indication device J, and completes, at the front point of its contact 53, a circuit for energizing indication device I2, passing from terminal b, through the front point of contact 53, and the winding of de vice I2 to terminal o.

A westbound train, when passing signal S3, will cause relay T2 to become deenergized. Relay T2, upon becoming deenergized, will open, at its contact 2 I, the circuit traced for relay H3. Relay H3, upon becoming deenergized, will open, at the front point of its contact 5, the circuit for green lamp G of signal S3, and will again complete, at the back point of its contact 5, the circuit for red lamp R of signal S3. Relay H3 will also open, at the front point of its contact 53, the circuit for indication device I2, and will again complete, at the back point of its contact 53, the circuit traced for indication device J. Relay T2, upon becoming deenergized, will also open, at its contact I3, the stick circuit traced for relay U3, which will thereupon become deenergized.

The westbound train, upon entering section A-B, will cause relay T1 to become deenergized, and this relay will then complete, at its contact 8, a pickup circuit for relay M2, passing from terminal b, through contact 6 of relay H2, contact 6 of relay H3, contact 8 of relay T1, contact 91 of relay T2, and the winding of relay M2 to terminal 0. Relay M2, upon becoming energized, will again complete its stick circuit previously traced.

I will next assume that, with all parts of the apparatus again in their normal condition, the dispatcher again clears signal S3 for a Westbound train to move from track Z to-stretch X. I will further assume that the dispatcherthen decides to hold the westbound train at signal S3 until an eastbound .train has proceeded from stretch X to track Y. He will therefore move lever V to its t position. This will cause transmitter K to supply receiver L With current of a code for opening contacts l2 and 4U for a brief period and for then closing contact Il of receiver L. The opening of contact I2 of receiver L will break the stick circuit for relay U3, causing this relay to become deenergized.

Relay U3, upon becoming deenergized, will open, at its contact 34, the circuit previously traced for relay H3 which will therefore also become deenergized. Relay H3, upon becomingdeenergized, will again open, at the front point of its contact 5, the circuit for green lamp G of signal S3, and will complete, at the back point of its contact 5, the circuit for the red lamp R of signal S3. Relay H3 will open, at the front point of its contact 53, the circuit for indication device I2, and will again complete, at theA back point of its contact 53, the

circuit for indication device J.

Relay H3 will also complete a circuit for energizing relay E, passing from terminal b, through contact 6 of relay H2, contact 6 of relay H3, back point of contact 'l of relay M2, back point of contact 45 of relay M2, contact 46 of relay T2, and winding of relay E to terminal o. Upon the lapse of a measured period of time after the completion of this circuit, contact Ia and |51j of relay E will close.

The closing of contact |01 will complete a pickup circuit Lfor energizing relay M2, passing r from terminal b, through contact of relay H2,

contact 6 of relay H3 contact i011 of relay E, and the winding of relay M2 to terminal o. Relay M2, upon becoming energized, will again complete its stick circuit previously traced. The energization of relay M2 will open, at the back points of contact 'l and 45, of this relay, the circuit traced for energizing relay E which, thereupon becoming deenergized, will open its contacts Illa and |101 and again close its contact 21.

The closing of contact Il of receiver L caused relay U1 to become energized as previously de- A scribed.

tact 48 of relay W in its left-hand position contact 5I of motor Q, and eld winding 52 of motor Q to terminal o. MotorQ will then move dog a to its'locking position. Upon the completion of the operation of dog a to its position for locking bar d, the circuit for energizing relay H1, previously traced, will be completed at contact 33 of dog a, and hence signal S1 will-be cleared, as previously described, for the eastbound train.

Iwill now assume that all parts of the apparatus are again returned to their normal condition, and that the dispatcher desires to permit a train to move from track Y to stretch X.- He will therefore move lever V to its f position, and will close push button contact P. The operation of lever V to its f position, closing contact 51, will cause transmitter K to supply receiver L with current of a code for closing contact I6 and thereby energizing relay U3 by its pickup circuit previouslytraced, The'` closing of push button contact P while lever V is in its f position will cause transmitter K to supply receiver L with current of a code for closing contact 39 of receiver L. Contact 39 of receiver L, upon becoming closed,

will complete a pickup circuit for relay U2, passing from terminal b, through contact 39, and the Winding of relay U2 to terminal o. Relay U2, upon becoming energized, will complete its own stick circuit passing from terminal b, through contact 40 of receiver L, contact 4I of relay U3, Contact 42 of relay U2, and the winding of relay U2 to terminal o. The energization of relay U3 causes relay W to be energized in the reverse direction, which results in the operation of motor Q to move dog a out of engagement with bar d as previously described.

With dog a out of engagement with bar d, and With relay U2 energized, a circuit will be completed for energizing relay H2, passing from terminal b, through contact 2D of switch F, contact 2| of relay T2, wire 221), contact 21 of relay E, wire 281, contact 34 of relay U3, contact 35 of relay H1, contact 35 of relay T1, contact 3l' of dog a, contact 43 of relay U2, and the winding of relay H2 to terminal o. coming energized, opens, at its back contact 6, the stick circuit previously traced for relay M2, causing relay M2 to become deenergized. Relay H2, upon becoming energized, also opens, at the back point of its contact 5, the circuit for red lamp R of signal S2, and completes, at the front point of its contact 5, the circuit for lighting green lamp G of signal S2. The energization of relay H2 also opens, at the back point of its contact 54, the circuit previously traced for indication device J, and completes, at the front point of its contact 54, a second circuit for energizing indication device I2, passing from terminal bl, through the back point of contact 53 of relay H3, front point of contact 54 of relay H2, and the winding of device I2 to terminal o.

If for some reason an emergency operation of dog a is to be made by hand crank N, a trainman will insert crank N in the position in which it is shown in dash lines in the drawings, and will then operate. crank N to disengage dog a from bar d. The placing of crank N in the position shown in dash lines opens contact I9, thereby breaking any pickup or stick circuit which may be closed for relay U3 or U1. With both relays U1 and U3 deenergized, relay W will be deenergized, and hence both the normal and the reverse operating circuits for motor Q will be open at contact 41 of relay W and cannot again be closed until crank N is removed to permit contact I9 to again close. After contact I9 becomes closed, no further energization of relay U1 or U3 can take place for causing an operation of motor Q until the rdispatcher again operates lever V for transmitting coded current for controlling receiver L.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it follows that one form of apparatus embodying my invention comprises a track switch which is biased to a normal position and Which may be of the well known spring switch type; and contacts selectively controlled by current of given codes for controlling a locking mechanism for locking or unlocking the switch and for causing a signal to be cleared for governing traflic movements in one direction or Relay H2, upon be-y another over the switch while the switch is locked Y embodying my invention. From this description and from the accompanying drawings, the operation of the apparatus for every other possible traic movement may bey readily determined.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of remote control apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of l0 my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a railway track switch, a signal for governing trafc movements from a given direction over said switch, a second signal for governing traffic movements from an opposite direction over said switch, a control relay, a second control relay, means for at times energizing said rst control relay and for at other times energizing said second control relay, a polarized switch relay, a circuit including a front contact of said first control relay for energizing said polarized relay by current of a given polarity, a second circuit including a front contact of said second control relay for energizing said polarized relay by current of the opposite polarity, means controlled by said polarized relay for locking or unlocking said switch according as said polarized relay is energized by current of the one polarity or the other, means controlled by said first control relay for clearing said rst signal if said switch is locked, and means controlled by said second control relay for clearing said second sigrial if said switch is unlocked. 2. In combination, a stretch of railway track including a switch, a track circuit including the rails of said stretch and provided with a track relay, a polarized relay, a circuit including a front contact of said track relay for energizing said polarized relay in the normal direction, a circuit for energizing said polarized relay in the reverse direction independently of the condition of said track relay, and means controlled by said polarized relay for locking or unlocking said switch according as said polarized relay is energized in the normal or the reverse direction.

3. In combination, a railway track switch, a first and a second normally open contact, manually controllable means for selectively closing said contacts, normally closed contact means opened by said manually controllable means when closing either of said normally open contacts, a rst and a second stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said first stick relay and a pick-up circuit for said second stick relay controlled by said first and second normally open contacts respectively, a stick circuit for said first stick relay controlled by said normally closed contact means, a stick circuit for said second stick relay controlled by said normally closed contact means and by a front contact of said rst stick relay, a first and a second signal for governing traic movements over said switch, and means controlled by said stick relays for clearing said first signal when and only when said first stick relay is energized while said second stick relay is deenergized and for clearing said second signal when and only when both said stick relays are energized.

PAUL P. STOKER. 

